The Reality of Tomorrow
by SnowyPrincess91
Summary: Bella is Carlisle's most devoted patient. Devoted enough to drop her job and NY life to move to Seattle. How long will she be able to resist Doc's middle stepson? AU, OOC. M for language.DISCLAIMER:ALL TWILIGHT-RELATED STUFF BELONGS TO S.MEYER
1. Leaving New York

Chapter 1 'Leaving New York'

_It's easier to leave than to be left behind  
>Leaving was never my proud<br>Leaving New York, never easy  
>I saw the light fading out<br>You find it in your heart, it's pulling me apart  
>You find it in your heart, change... <em>

_R.E.M. 'Leaving New York'_

Carlisle POV

'Bella, there's one more thing I have to tell you before you leave. Esme and I are moving to Seattle. As you know, my eldest stepson and his wife are expecting a baby and we're going there to help them.' I said slowly, letting her digest the information. Rosalie was seven months pregnant now and someone had to run Virginia Mason Hospital instead of her. 'Doctor Taylor is taking all of my patients so maybe…'

'I'm moving as well.' she said with determination in her voice.

'That would be the third time you're moving in seven years. I don't mention that you've been coming to Boston every two weeks from NY, in spite of amazing neurologists there. You can't do it.'

'I can do whatever I want. Nobody cares where I live as long as I provide three books a year. Read my lips: nobody.'

'But you write for Broadway! Think about your achievements, you can't just drop everything.'

'How long?'

'What do you mean?'

'How long will you live in Seattle?'

'A year.'

'I'm ok with that. Andrew will understand. I can… come to NY twice a month. I mean, they don't need me all the time. They may be artists, but they can read.'

'Andrew?'

'Lloyd Webber. We're up to something right now.'

We sat in silence for a while.

'So, a boy or a girl?' she asked with a smirk.

'You'll find out later. Esme said you're coming for dinner tonight.'

'Actually, I'm meeting her in ten minutes so…'

'A boy. Here's your prescription.'

'See you in the evening, doc.'

'Bye, Bella.' I replied, but she was already gone.

I've known this tiny girl for pretty long time now, but she still knew how to surprise me. Well, she was a surprise herself. I had three stepsons, two daughters-in-law, exactly her age and despite less contact with them than with her, I still knew very little about her. Eight years ago in Seattle, her father brought her to me due to her headaches. Since then she hasn't left me for longer than a month. When she found out my wife and I were leaving our two eldest sons to be with Jasper in Chicago, she convinced her father she could finish high school there. 'It's only a year, dad.' she said. When I was offered a great job in Boston, she did everything to get a scholarship from Harvard in English. And she succeeded. Two years ago she had tears in her eyes when she told me she was moving to New York. But she never stopped coming. During this time she made friends with my wife Esme, our youngest son, Jasper, and his wife Alice. And that's it. No boyfriend, no other friends. At first I was really worried, not only as her doctor, but friend as well. Until I understood she was right, she didn't need anybody else.

My thoughts were interrupted by next patient entering the room. I had to focus, it was Esme's turn to worry.

Esme POV

I was sitting at Grotto, talking on the phone to my middle son, Edward, when Bella appeared.

'I gotta go, honey. My date's here.'

'_You want to change husband again?'_ he laughed.

'Oh, shut up. Carlisle is the last one, I had to promise it.'

'_Ok, Ma. I gotta go as well. __See you next week. Love you!_'

'Love you too! Bye!' I hung up.

When Bella ordered her lunch, I gave her a smile and started a conversation.

'So, how are you?'

'Good, thank you. Carlisle told me you're moving. I'm going with you, no matter what you think about it.' Oh, I forgot she never left things for later. And actually I was happy she decided to move as well. For me, she was like a daughter.

'Yeah, Rosie needs our help with a baby and Carlisle as her replacement for some time.'

'Turning Virginia Mason into a family business?' Bella joked.

'Kind of.' I smiled. She was right. All three of my sons were working there. And so did my two daughters-in-law. Luckily, none of them was a Cullen, so their relationship with my husband wasn't that obvious. 'But if I were you, I wouldn't count for Cullen Inc.'

'Yeah, rather some freaky acronym.'

There she got me. Each of my sons had a different surname, due to having different fathers. And Bella knew it. Despite she never used it against me, I felt she wasn't positive about my story.

'Then make one up!'

'Well, I only know Jasper and Alice. The Whitlocks.' she smiled. 'Oh, and of course you and Carlisle. The Cullens.'

'You'll meet The McCartys and Mr Masen as soon as possible.' I said, giving her a grin.

'Are the McCartys lucky parents-to-be?'

'Indeed they are.'

'Doc told me it's a boy.'

'Yeah, they want to call him Kellan after Emmett's dad.'

'That's nice of… Rose?'

'Rosalie, yes. She knows that Emmy misses his dad and… Never mind. Let's eat!'

After we finished food and had a coffee, Bella picked up where we left.

'Ok, so tell me more about them.'

'About who?'

'Those two of your children I don't know.'

'I can't! You have to make your own mind.'

'But you can give me some pieces of information. I want to be one step ahead of them.'

'Actually, they know a lot about you. At least Rosie and Emmett.'

'NO.'

'Yes. Anyway, Rosie is a director of the Virginia Mason and Emmy is running a café there.'

'What about…'

'Edward? He works at the lab.'

'Alice is hospital's lawyer, Jasper works as anesthesiologist and now Carlisle will join the gang. What about you? Will you redecorate it?'

'Thinking about it.' I laughed.

'Are you happy about it?'

'About what?'

'Going home. Having everybody around. Being a Nana.'

'Yeah, I am. And you?'

'I… don't know.'

'Charlie misses you.'

'He has this what's-her-name whore.'

'Don't call her this way, she's your stepmother.'

'Like in fucking Cinderella. She was there a week after mum's funeral. Regardless of the mourning, she slept with my dad.'

'Bells, you don't know that. Besides, he's your dad.'

'That cheated on Renee for years. Just because she was too ill.'

'You don't know that.'

'Oh, I do. You and I perfectly know he was over the cloud nine when I moved to Chicago.'

'So you're not happy about going back to Seattle?'

'I'll be more than glad to meet the rest of your family.'

'That's not what I'm asking about.'

'But that's my answer. And Esme?'

'Yes?'

'I'm sorry, but I won't be able to come tonight. I have to go back to NY and do… Stuff. Packing and… Theater.'

'I understand. See you in Seattle?' I smiled.

'See you in Seattle.'

To my relief, she smiled back.

Third-person omniscient

With four hours of driving ahead, Bella felt more than lucky to have eaten a big lunch, there'd be no reason to pull over now. Her monthly trip to Boston was getting more and more tiring every time. She took one of the painkillers Carlisle prescribed her and started the car.

'Damn snarl-up.' she murmured three and a half hours later, when a giant traffic jam stopped her. 'I'm half an hour away and what? Breathe, Bella. Breathe…' She took another pill and somehow got to Minskoff Theatre where she was to meet Andrew Lloyd Mebber and Laurent Cates, her current music writer and theatre director. As they went to Laurent's office, without useless small talk, Bella began.

'I'm moving to Seattle.'

'Wow, that's… Far away.' Laurent was surprised. 'I guess… Well, I guess I don't know what to say. I mean… You don't make decisions like that in five minutes. When did you…?'

'Today.' writer replied, but she was looking at Andrew, not Laurent. 'Andy, say something.'

'Don't Andy him now!' director yelled. She was his best writer, he couldn't let her go so easily. 'What were you thinking? That you can drop everything?'

'I won't drop everything, I'll be coming. Twice a month, maybe more.'

'Twice a month? TWICE A MONTH? That's not what I pay you for.'

'I won't argue with you, Laurent. There are few other theatres here that will hire me, even if I'm in Seattle.' she said, still not looking at the dark-skinned man. 'Andy, are you ok with that?'

The composer spoke for the first time since she announced the news.

'Is it about your health?' he whispered with seriousness in his voice.

'We can put it this way. Doc is moving. I have to follow him.'

'You two!' Laurent screamed. 'Look at me!'

'Bella, we can make it work.' Andrew said with a smile. 'Just stay healthy, will you?'

'That's why I go there.' she replied with a little grin.

'Ok, I'm sick of it. I am the director and I make decisions!' Laurent interrupted again.

'So make a decision to let Bella work in Seattle and just come here once or twice a month. After all, we all know how to use skype, don't we?' Webber assumed and took Swan's hand. 'Now, let's have something to eat, shall we, my talented princess? If you're leaving soon, I will need a lot of your company to miss you three hours after you leave, not immediately.' and they left to his office.

As they were having their lasagnas from Carmine's, Andrew started again the subject they dropped at Laurent's.

'So, princess, what did your doc say?'

'Nothing new. Besides, we are to talk about the brand new musical for Laurent.'

'Oh yeah, right, in a minute. You know, I don't know much about you. You never talk to me about your personal issues. But I'm not a fool. And I can recognize a disease when I see one.'

'I didn't know you are a MD, Andy.' she murmured.

'It's not the right time to be sarcastic. We all know you're in pain. Talk to somebody, Bella.'

'I did. Today.'

'And I'm a fairy.'

'I really did!'

'With a pink skirt.'

'I had lunch with Esme.'

'Esme? That's the most stupid name for an imaginary friend I've ever heard of.'

'Actually, she's doc's wife. And, oh, exists.'

'Yeah, yeah. Let me ride my unicorn to Alaska, I'll be right back.'

'You know what, that's why I leave NY.' Bella laughed. 'Your unicorn leaves rainbow shit all over the place. Now let's go back to work, ok?' And so they did.

Later that night, Bella began packing her stuff. She didn't have much. Not because she couldn't. All that archetype of young, poor, yet talented artist was never her thing. She was too talented to fail and her books were published while she was still at the university, so money was never a problem. No, this issue had more to do with her sense of fragility. Everything is fragile, she said every time somebody asked her about obvious emptiness in her apartment in SoHo. Stability, money, people, health, feelings, life itself. And for situations like that, with three days to move almost 3000 miles west, her philosophy couldn't have been better. All she needed could have been packed into two large suitcases, carpet bag and six boxes that would fit perfectly in her car. With a loud sigh Bella opened the first drawer and began throwing socks into the purple, floral box.

Six hours later all her books, clothes, photos, plants and cosmetics were in the trunk of her cassis pearl Toyota Sequoia and Bella was finishing eating some leftovers she had found in the fridge.

'Hope I won't throw up every two hours. That noodles weren't exactly fresh.' she said to herself and closed the door, leaving her New York life for at least a year.

But there still was one more thing to do and the girl was anything but happy to make that phone call.

'Oh come on, Bella. You're a self-confident, adult woman. Successful woman. It's just Charlie. Old sucker, who killed your mum. You can do it.' she whispered and dialed the number she hadn't used since last Christmas.

Charlie POV

'Fish or pasta?' my wife asked me when I came home.

'Fish.' I replied, locking my gun and taking off my jacket. When I got to the kitchen, a steaming dish was already on the table, waiting for me. I kissed Sue on the cheek 'You're an angel.'

'I know.' she laughed, when all of the sudden the telephone rang.

I picked up.

'Swan.'

'Hey… Emm… It's me, Bella.'

'Bells, good to hear you! Sue told me you called, what's up? We haven't been in touch for ages.'

'Everything's… Fine.'

'You don't sound fine and I know you're not. I wish you called me more often. After Renee died…'

'Char… Dad, do we have to talk about it now?'

'No, of course not.' I said, quieter. She called so rarely that I knew something happened. 'So, can you tell me what's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong… Dad. I just… I'm moving back to Seattle and… I wanted to ask if you let me stay with you and…'

'Sue, her name is Sue.' I knew she didn't particularly approve on my remarriage and she didn't hide it. I knew if she called my wife a bitch again, I would hung up. And I didn't want to.

'I know. Anyway, can I stay with you for a week or two? Until I find something to live on my own.'

'Belly, you know you can stay with us as long as you wish.'

'Thanks. But I don't want to be a burden. I can afford a place. And, it's a whole year…'

'You know, I've missed you. You'll never be a burden. Since you went to Chicago…'

'Char… Fuck. Dad, this is not exactly the conversation I want to have right now.'

'I know, sorry. When are you coming?'

'Friday. Hope it's not a problem?'

'No, not at all. Shall I pick you up at the airport?'

'Thanks, but I'll be driving.'

'You can't drive all the way from New York to Seattle.'

'I can and I will.'

'Stubborn as her mother.'

'You don't have to compliment me.'

'Oh, trust me, it wasn't a compliment.'

'I'll drive whether you like it or not. I'm 25 dad, I can drive.'

'And what if you get a headache?'

'That's my worry then. Please, Charlie, I don't want to argue and we will if we keep on talking.'

'Right. We'll talk when you come. I'm really worried, Bella.'

'Great. I'll leave you two alone as soon as possible, I promise.'

'You don't have to.'

'But I want to. So… See you next Friday.'

'See you then.' I replied with a sigh and turned to my wife with a giant smile on my face and mixed feelings in my soul. 'Bella's coming.'


	2. You're beautiful

Chapter 2 – You're beautiful

_You're beautiful. You're beautiful.  
>You're beautiful, it's true.<br>There must be an angel with a smile on her face,  
>When she thought up that I should be with you.<em>

_James Blunt – You're beautiful_

Sue POV

It was Friday morning. And so she was to come back to Seattle. My stepdaughter, Bella. My nightmare. It's not that I didn't like her. I did. And Charlie really loved her. There was just something… Scary about her. I knew exactly what she thought of me and I had to deal with it. I never said it out loud, but I was glad she didn't live with us. And I hoped she'd move out as soon as possible. We haven't seen her for six years and I was a little bit curious what she looked like. Suddenly we heard a car parking on the street and my husband stood up.

'That will be Bella. Please, be nice to her. She's been through a lot.'

'I know that. I will be nice no matter what.'

'I love you.'

'I know. Let's go and help her with luggage, ok?' I smiled and we went out of the house.

There she was, sitting in the car, whispering some kind of mantra. When she saw us, she got out. I could see a lot of changes in her appearance. So did Charlie.

'Bells! Good to have you here.' he welcomed.

'Hi… Dad, Sue.' she replied with hearable hesitation.

'Well, look at you! You are so skinny! Your hair is black, your ears pierced in… One, two, three, four, FIVE more places. And you wear glasses…'

'Yeah, things got worse with… My eyes.'

'Anything else you did as an artist?' he laughed. 'Any tattoos?'

'Charlie…'

'Come on, I'm ready.'

'Here.' she pulled up her left sleeve to show us a tiny fairy on the inside of her wrist.

'And?'

'Why do you think I have more?'

'I know you Bella.'

'Damn you, Charlie.'

'Don't curse. So where? Butterfly on lower back? Swallow on right shoulder?'

'Neck. Lilies.'

I stood in silence, afraid to even say hello, when finally Bella spoke to me.

'Hello, bi… Sue.'

'Hi.' I whispered. 'Maybe we will help you with your luggage?'

'I'm fine, thanks. I just came to say that I won't be staying with you.'

'What, why?' Charlie asked, raising his voice a little louder.

'Yesterday I bought a condo downtown. Online. So, mission accomplished. I have my own place and don't have to stay with you.'

'That's… Nice. I guess.'

'Yeah, and Virginia Mason is close so I'll be able to walk there to visit… Everybody.'

'You know what, let's go inside.' I suggested. 'It's cold, you've been driving for a very long time, are tired and we need to finish our breakfast.'

'Em… Thank you, but… No. I'd better be going.'

'Bella, please.' Charlie murmured. 'Let's talk for a while. I'm desperate to know you're fine.'

'I am.' she smiled. 'I really gotta go. Bye.'

Five minutes later she was gone and I felt really terrible. Maybe if I hadn't said a word, maybe if it had been Charlie who suggested going inside…

'Don't worry.' my husband said. It was like he was reading my mind.

'She hates me.'

'She doesn't. She's just… Not over Renee. She's freaking out, because she's really ill, like my wife was. It's her memories she hates, not you.'

'Hope you're right.'

'I am right, don't worry.'

'She's so tiny…'

'As she always was.'

'Not that much. Charlie, I may have lived with her a year only, but I'm not blind.'

'I know. Indeed, she lost a lot of weight, but Carlisle would warn me if it was really dangerous.'

'You trust Carlisle too much.'

'He's my friend.'

'I have a weird feeling he's way more her friend than yours. And he would do according to her wishes, not your investigation.'

'Maybe you're right. What did Bella do to deserve a stepmother like that?' he smiled.

_What did I do wrong she doesn't like me?_ I thought and took a sip of my coffee.

Jasper POV

_B, wanna come over for a lunch? Heard your place is quite close to VM._ I texted Bella. The reply was almost instant.

_Of course I do, doc junior junior junior._

_1pm, tell the security you're coming to me._

_Will do ;) see you then._

I turned off my cell and tried to focus on my work, I was right about to put a five year-old into a twilight anesthesia. I just couldn't believe our little Bella was back. Alice was so excited when Esme told us she was moving as well and so damaged, when Rose told her to go to Tokyo to check the agreement between Virginia Mason and St. Luke's International Hospital exactly the day our friend arrived. I wasn't surprised when an hour ago Al called me and made me promise I'd take Isabella for a lunch and talk to her.

Two hours later the surgery was over and I was heading to café where I could already see Bella.

'Belly, Bell, Bells!'

'Hey Jazz.' she gave me a quick hug and pulled back. 'So, are we eating here?'

'Yeah, you'll meet my wonderful older brother.'

'Emmett McCarty, at your service. Heard a lot about you, miss Swan.' my eldest brother knew Bella was coming and was almost as happy as he was when Rosie announced she's pregnant.

'Nice to meet you too, Emmett.' the girl smiled.

'Ok, Em, give us something good to eat.' I said.

'It's fine, Jasper. I have my own food. I went vegan.'

'Yuk.' Emmett's face twisted in disgust. 'At least let me make you some coffee.'

'Tea with no sugar, thank you.'

'And for you, Blondie?'

'Usual, thanks.' I replied ignoring the fact he would call me Blondie. I was the only one who inherited mum's hair color and brunette Emmett and copper Edward used to tease me a lot. I led Bella to the table in the corner and we sat. She took out her lunchbox and I made a quick look inside.

'Noodles with carrot? Really, Bella?'

'I went vegan, told you.' she defended herself, but her eyes were down.

'Vegan my ass. Bullshit.'

'That's what you think.'

Emmett came with Bella's tea and my steak with French fries. I saw an immediate interest in her eyes as she saw my plate.

'You sure you don't want some?'

'No, thanks.'

'Guys, I'm rather busy now, but I'll come later, ok?' Emmett said and left to support a customer.

'Ok, now explain yourself.' I attacked her.

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Bella, you can't eat such shit. You're on really strong drugs, you have to eat properly.'

'Jazz, I'm fine. I just… I can't cook any more.'

'Hands?'

'Yeah. I burned myself too many times so I gave it up.'

'That doesn't explain not buying proper food, prepared by somebody else.'

'Chewing. And swallowing. And using cutlery.'

'That bad?'

'Yeah.' she sighed.

'Does Carlisle know?'

'Not yet.'

'Bells, do me a favor and stop doing shit. You can't pretend in front of everybody that you're ok. Because it's more than obvious you're not.'

'Are you done with educating me?'

'Do you feel educated?'

'Jazz, stay out of it. I don't know why I told you that.'

'You're a woman, when you feel lost you talk. And I promised Alice I would talk to you and find EVERYTHING out, so I use all of my weapons. Since when?'

'None of your business. I will eat what I want, and yeah, I mean noodles and cereal. I will drink whiskey and take dozen of pills everyday if I want to. You don't know what it's like, so don't tell me how to live. So make me this honor and let's do small talk shit. Fuck, let's just pretend I'm normal.'

'We can't go on like this forever.'

'In a year Carlisle will move again. I'll follow him even to Alaska. Damn Alaska. If he tells me 'I'm going to Zimbabwe', I will follow him and Esme. You're right, we can't go on like this forever. We can't play "Nothing happens" forever. But a year is not forever.'

'Small talk shit?'

'I guess.'

'So, where did your beautiful chocolate hair go?'

To my relief, she gave me a crooked smile.

'Dead and gone. Black allows me to express myself better as an artist.' she said sarcastically.

'Right, you're an artist now. And seriously?'

'I had nothing better to do so I went to hairdresser. He shaved half of my head and dyed me black. I liked it so much that I keep on doing it for two years now.'

'New York, New York.' I laughed.

'Exactly. And where is Alice? I missed her.'

'Tokyo, making international, serious business.'

'Busy as always. When Esme said, she's going to be a Nana, I truly believed you're the lucky one.'

'You know what they say, the more you try, the harder for you to achieve.'

'You'll succeed. I know that. Because you know, I will make great aunt. I will spoil your children as bad as possible.'

Suddenly we were interrupted.

Edward POV

_Where the fuck is he?_ I thought. I was looking for my younger brother, Jasper. I caught one of the nurses, Jessica.

'Have you seen doctor Whitlock?'

'Yeah, at the café with a girl.'

'Great.' I commented and rushed to the café.

There he was, sitting in the corner, talking to a petite brunette. I hated to interrupt them, but I had one of his patient's test results and that old lady needed a surgery immediately.

'Sorry, but… Jasper, here are Mrs. Newton's results. You have to rush.'

'Thanks, Ed.'

'Don't call me Ed.' I replied and as Jasper was standing up, I finally took a look of a girl he was talking to.

'Oh, right. Bella, Edward. Edward, Bella. Gotta go and save somebody's life, sorry.' my brother said and left.

There she was. Glossy, shoulder-length, black hair surrounded her tiny face that in 90% consisted of deep, brown eyes you could drown in and pale, flawless skin. And that smile… It literally melted my heart. My eyes went down to see a really skinny body dressed in white tank top, purple cardigan and black skinny jeans. A quiet voice in my head started whispering _'Gorgeous, isn't she? Take her. Make her yours. There's no other option. Because she may be the one. Come on, you're thirty. She's at least twenty three. This can work!' _And really scary was that I agreed with it.

'Ok, that's creepy.' she said. If her body wasn't enough, that voice would make up for everything. 'Stop checking me out, freak.'

'Sorry.' I apologized. 'Bella, right?'

'Bella Swan.'

'Edward Masen.'

'Esme's middle son.' she stated.

'Well… Now THAT is creepy. How do you know that?'

'Let's just say I'm close to your mum. She told me something about each of you.'

'Wish I could say the same. Because… I didn't know you exist.'

'Don't worry. I'll manage.' she laughed and went back to eating her lunch. Out of the blue Emmett appeared.

'Eddie Masen, well, well, well. We meet again.'

'Emmett, stop that. We're brothers, not characters in some stupid comic book. And don't call me Eddie, dork.'

'I see that you met Bella. Adorable, isn't she?'

'Three year ago I would blush.' she said. 'But now, no way.'

'Damn, Esme said you are really sweet when you're ashamed.'

'She said you're married. And father-to-be as well.'

'And I love my Rosie and little Kellan more than anything in this damn world. But that doesn't mean I can't recognize a beautiful girl when I see one.'

Bella laughed and my heart stopped beating for a minute.

Hearing that was like a music to my ears. Like a million tiny bells started ringing simultaneously. Her face was glowing, her eyes were shining for a short moment and before I could stop myself, I began talking again.

'Emmett, could you get me a pasta?'

'Yep, pasta once. Pork or shrimps?'

'Pork, thanks.'

'And for you, my gorgeous? Another tea?'

'And a cheesecake.' she smiled.

'So, you lied about vegan.'

'Only a little. I'm craving for cheesecake.'

'Then let me be your cheesecake angel.' Em laughed and went to the kitchen to make my pasta.

'You mind if I sit?' I asked.

'No, go ahead. I really don't mind you know nothing about me. And I don't bite, so… I know I look like a vampire, but…'

'You're beautiful.' I put in. 'Nothing vampire about you.'

'Thanks. So, Edward, it's nice to meet you.'

'Would you go out with me?' I asked. _Damn, Masen! Think before you talk! A girl like that totally isn't single. And, fuck, you don't ask a girl out three minutes after meeting her, you bastard._

Her smile disappeared in an eye blink and eyes went ice cold. That was my answer.

'No.'

I should have taken that for an answer, but something made me ask more and more and more.

'I know you just met me. And I look terrible after night shift at the lab. And you know very little about me. I know. But give me a chance.'

'No.'

'Why?'

'I don't go out. With anybody. Now excuse me, but I'd like you to sit elsewhere. Now I DO mind.'

Maybe I was being overdramatic, but my heart was crushed. Or, at least, it felt so. Emmett gave me my lunch and with broken heart I was eating in silence, just giving Bella quick glances while she was talking to my elder brother. _Jerk, if you had waited some time maybe she would have said yes, you idiot._ I mentally kicked my ass.

When my plate was empty, I made one more look at Bella and caught her checking me out. Till now I don't know what made me make this decision, but there was something in her eyes, something between hope and attraction. Regardless of that, I decided I won't give up so easily. That one day I will call that tiny brunette my wife.

But that required a plan.

Esme POV

I really loved Seattle. That's where I was brought up, where I got married four times, divorced once and where I buried two of my husbands. All three of my sons were born here, in a hospital they were working at now. I was standing on the balcony of our condo and watching the city, when my cell phone rang. I took a quick look at the screen and smiling face of my middle son appeared.

'Edward, hi. I'm… surprised you call.'

'Hey mum, I just call to ask you something.'

'As usual.' I joked.

'It's about tomorrow night. Would you mind having a dinner at yours?'

'Well, I guess not. If nobody has to work, then why not.'

'Great. And will you invite Bella?'

'Wait, why?'

'It's very important. I… can't talk about it now.'

'Of course I can. Yet I still don't understand.'

'You don't have to.' he laughed. 'Just be sure Bella will be there, ok?'

'Ok.'

'You're awesome. Love you, bye.'

'Bye. I guess.' I said with surprise on my face and went inside to start planning a dinner.


End file.
